Your customer isn’t a circus monkey!
Think twice about all the things you put them though to buy from you. (And for those of you in corporate life, this goes for you too! You’re always trying to get your folks to do something… right?) I have seen far too many times that people selling an idea, concept, a product or service make it almost impossible for their prospective customer to buy.
It shouldn’t be that hard for your prospective client to do business with you! Here are 4 ideas for you to quickly implement in your business to see more success.
1. Make It Easy
There’s an old adage that says variety is the spice of life, but hey, too many choices can lead to indecision and procrastination. We all know what happens when customers procrastinate … they don’t buy and you lose a sale.
When a customer walks into your business (either physically or on the web) ready to purchase, and suddenly sees several options he didn’t know were there, he’ll stop and then ask … which one? If he’s uncertain , well, you lose a sale that was already in your pocket.
Make it easy for your customers to decide… yes, I’ll buy it… no I won’t buy it. Yes and no decisions are much easier to make, and are more likely to put cash in the drawer. Remember: A confused mind always says, “No!”
2. Offer Several Ways To Buy
Too many choices can overwhelm customers and cost you sales, but options of HOW to buy can create avenues for customers to purchase the product they’ve decided they want or need. They say there are different strokes for different folks… your customers don’t all use the same methods to buy. It just makes sense that if the method they prefer is available, they’ll be more likely to take advantage of it.
Convenience is the key to attracting buyers in today’s fast paced society. What will be the fastest and easiest for them… credit card, phone, fax, Internet, or cold hard cash?
3. Keep it Simple
You remember the frustration of spending 10 minutes pushing buttons on the phone just to get through a pain-in-the-neck automated ordering service. Heck, you just wanted to buy one item! Maybe it was the time you had to click your finger raw, just to jump through the hoops of an online shopping cart. Yeah, the temptation to just forget it is right there!
Don’t frustrate your customers with intricate ordering processes. Most likely, they just want to place the order in a few minutes and be done. Let them get frustrated, and they’ll go elsewhere, or just abandon the idea altogether.
4. Follow Up
One of my favorite catalog companies always closes out the sale with a special buy that is available only at the time of purchase. I’m more of an impulsive shopper and it stops me in my tracks every time. I know it’s a one-time shot, and I really consider whether I want or need it before I hang up the phone. Remember: A buyer is a buyer is a buyer. When they buy they are much more apt to buy more.
How many items would your customers buy if you were to follow up every sale with a special offer? Internet marketers have a world of options at their fingertips. The products you offer don’t even have to be yours… and you can still make a profit! Resource: Read the book “Go for No!” by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz.
A Bonus Idea…
Affiliate marketing is sweeping the Web and you can implement it in your brick and mortar business too. Think about it… would your customers benefit from an e-book that deals with the product they are purchasing? You can offer it to them, and let the owner handle ordering process while you collect the commission. It’s as easy as 1, 2, and 3 and profitable too!
Boosting your sales numbers and profit dollars isn’t as tough as it sounds. Implement these 4 simple selling techniques, and watch your sales steadily climb… and just think… they didn’t cost you a penny!
BTW… I am always looking for affiliates.
To your success!
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